Underemployment: A Silent Killer

By Hafsa Khoharo

In every society there are individuals whose educational qualifications, skills, and aspirations do not match the work they ultimately perform. They are graduates who spent years studying for one profession but ended up serving in another. They are engineers working as clerks, scientists working in unrelated administrative positions, and degree holders accepting jobs that neither require nor value their expertise. This phenomenon is known as underemployment, and although it receives far less attention than unemployment, its consequences can be equally devastating.

Many of us know those people who are serving in professions unrelated to their fields because they could not find employment corresponding to their qualifications. This is where the chain of underemployment begins—where one, out of compulsion rather than choice, serves in a profession different from his credentials and capabilities, often for low wages and limited benefits. Unlike unemployment, which is immediately visible, underemployment remains largely hidden. Yet it silently erodes confidence, wastes talent, and diminishes the productive capacity of society.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), underemployment is not merely an economic issue; it is also a social and psychological phenomenon. When individuals are unable to utilize their education, skills, and training in appropriate occupations, the result is frustration, declining productivity, and a gradual loss of professional identity. Across many developing countries, including Pakistan, thousands of graduates find themselves trapped in jobs unrelated to their academic backgrounds simply because suitable opportunities do not exist.

Pakistan produces hundreds of thousands of graduates every year through universities and colleges spread across the country. Families invest enormous financial resources in education, believing that academic achievement will provide social mobility and economic security. Yet many graduates soon discover that degrees alone do not guarantee employment. A widening gap exists between educational output and labour market demand. Universities continue producing graduates at a pace that the economy struggles to absorb, creating a growing pool of educated but underutilized individuals.

One of the most visible examples of underemployment can be observed in the teaching profession. People from diverse educational backgrounds often enter teaching not because it was their chosen vocation but because other opportunities were unavailable. Teaching, once regarded as one of the noblest professions, increasingly serves as a refuge for those unable to secure employment elsewhere.

Consider the story of a young engineering graduate who spent years studying mathematics, physics, and technical design, dreaming of contributing to the country’s infrastructure and industrial development. After graduation, however, he encountered a labour market with few openings and fierce competition. Months of applications yielded no meaningful opportunities. Eventually, he accepted a teaching position at a private school for a modest salary. While he fulfilled his responsibilities conscientiously, he often admitted that teaching was never his ambition. His story is not unique. Across Pakistan, countless graduates enter classrooms not because of passion but because of necessity.

The human consequences of this crisis are often hidden behind economic statistics. In October 2017, Pakistan witnessed a tragedy that attracted national attention. Aizaz Ali, a 24-year-old mechanical engineering graduate of the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), reportedly died by suicide after struggling for nearly a year to secure employment in his field. Media reports indicated that despite holding a prestigious engineering degree and actively searching for work, he became increasingly distressed by repeated failures in the job market. His death shocked many Pakistanis because it challenged the widespread belief that educational achievement automatically guarantees economic opportunity.

Aizaz Ali’s story was not merely the story of one individual. It symbolized the anxiety, disappointment, and uncertainty experienced by thousands of graduates across the country. Behind every unemployed or underemployed engineer, economist, sociologist, scientist, or teacher lies a family that invested years of hope, sacrifice, and financial resources into education. When those expectations collide with a stagnant labour market, the emotional consequences can be profound.

Suppose a person carrying the burden of disappointment, low wages, and professional dissatisfaction enters a classroom merely to earn a living and acquire the label of employment. How can such a person be expected to inspire students with enthusiasm, creativity, and intellectual curiosity? While many teachers work diligently despite difficult circumstances, the broader concern remains: when teaching becomes a profession of necessity rather than commitment, educational quality inevitably suffers.

Research in educational psychology consistently demonstrates that teacher motivation significantly influences student engagement and academic performance. Motivated teachers are more likely to create stimulating learning environments, encourage critical thinking, and cultivate curiosity among students. They view education not as a routine task but as a transformative process. Conversely, individuals who perceive teaching merely as a temporary survival strategy may struggle to develop the same level of commitment and professional investment.

This is one way in which underemployment indirectly affects the education system. Many teachers in Pakistan are teachers by compulsion rather than by passion. They entered the profession not because they desired to become educators but because they were denied opportunities in their preferred fields. Such individuals are themselves victims of a broader structural problem characterized by insufficient employment opportunities, weak meritocratic systems, and economic stagnation.

Reports by international development organizations repeatedly identify teacher quality as one of the strongest predictors of educational success. Yet quality cannot be separated from motivation, training, and professional satisfaction. When teaching becomes a repository for frustrated graduates rather than a profession attracting highly motivated educators, the entire educational ecosystem suffers. The consequences manifest in poor learning outcomes, weak analytical skills, declining educational standards, and diminished student engagement.

Whether one visits a government school, a private institution, or a local academy, similar stories frequently emerge. Ask many teachers whether teaching was their first career choice, and one often encounters narratives of disappointment and compromise. Some describe degrees that never translated into careers. Others recount years spent preparing for competitive examinations without success. Many speak of supporting families in an economy where opportunities remain scarce. Behind every reluctant teacher lies a larger story of unrealized aspirations and economic insecurity.

The consequences of underemployment extend far beyond the workplace. Research increasingly shows that prolonged underemployment and unemployment can negatively affect mental health. Studies conducted in Pakistan and elsewhere have linked employment insecurity with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, social withdrawal, and feelings of hopelessness. The burden becomes particularly heavy in societies where educational success is closely associated with family honour, social status, and personal worth.

Experts argue that unemployment should not be viewed solely as an economic indicator. Researchers examining the experiences of Pakistani graduates have found that prolonged unemployment often creates a sense of perceived failure, even among highly capable individuals. Social pressure, family expectations, and comparisons with successful peers intensify psychological distress. Individuals may begin to question their abilities and self-worth despite possessing valuable qualifications and skills.

The renowned Pakistani psychiatrist Murad M. Khan has repeatedly emphasized that social and economic pressures can contribute significantly to psychological distress. Economic insecurity, lack of opportunities, and persistent uncertainty often interact with personal vulnerabilities, creating conditions that may undermine mental well-being. This understanding highlights the need to treat employment not merely as an economic issue but also as a public health and social development concern.

The tragedy of underemployment is not confined to those directly experiencing it. Society itself bears the cost. When qualified engineers are unable to contribute to infrastructure projects, scientific graduates cannot participate in research, and trained professionals work in unrelated occupations, valuable human capital remains underutilized. The nation invests in education but fails to reap the full benefits of that investment. Productivity declines, innovation suffers, and economic growth slows.

Students, too, become indirect victims. Education is most effective when it is delivered by individuals who are deeply invested in the profession. When classrooms are staffed by those who entered teaching reluctantly, learning can become mechanical rather than inspirational. Education ceases to be a process of intellectual transformation and instead becomes a routine transfer of information. Students lose opportunities to encounter mentors capable of igniting curiosity, creativity, and ambition.

Addressing underemployment requires more than simply creating jobs. It requires a comprehensive strategy that aligns educational systems with labour market realities. Universities must regularly evaluate whether their programs correspond to current economic needs. Policymakers must encourage sectors capable of generating skilled employment. Industry and academia must collaborate to ensure that graduates possess competencies relevant to contemporary workplaces.

Merit-based recruitment systems are equally important. Young people must believe that talent, effort, and competence will be rewarded. When recruitment processes are perceived as unfair or inaccessible, frustration and disillusionment deepen. Strengthening transparency and accountability in hiring practices can restore confidence among graduates and improve the allocation of human resources.

Furthermore, teacher recruitment deserves special attention. The future of any nation depends upon the quality of its educators. Teaching should attract individuals who possess both competence and commitment. Comprehensive training, professional development opportunities, competitive salaries, and clear career pathways can help transform teaching into a profession chosen by aspiration rather than necessity.

The challenge of underemployment is ultimately a challenge of wasted potential. It is the story of dreams deferred, talents neglected, and opportunities lost. It is the engineer teaching physics because no engineering position exists, the scientist performing clerical work because research opportunities are unavailable, and the graduate questioning his worth because the labour market cannot recognize his abilities.

If policymakers continue to ignore this crisis, underemployment will remain a silent killer—destroying professional potential, weakening institutions, undermining mental well-being, and compromising the future of generations yet to come. Governments cannot continue producing graduates while failing to create an economy capable of absorbing them. Universities, employers, and policymakers must work together to bridge the widening gap between education and employment.

Behind every statistic lies a human story. Behind every underemployed graduate lies a dream that sought fulfilment through education. A society that fails to provide meaningful opportunities for its educated citizens not only disappoints individuals; it squanders its most valuable resource—human potential. The true cost of underemployment is therefore not measured in economic terms alone. It is measured in lost ambitions, diminished hope, weakened institutions, and a future deprived of the contributions that these individuals might otherwise have made.